IXUS

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

So apparently, Tal and Tobyn were only two of the many humans who’s ‘souls’ or whatever (the Ixus still don’t know what it is.), are strong enough to withstand the insertion.

It’s like they’re sharing a body. The Ixus inside them are who we are now talking to. Sometimes, human Tal would show up and he’d talk to Sonja and me like a carefree teenager. He says that he’s only Tallus when the Ixus in him wants to get out.

Tobyn says that’s his Ixus name. He prefers Toby, or whatever we prefer. He doesn’t mind. But he does like knowing who we want to talk to.

I don’t talk to Toby or Tobyn as much as Sonja does. Isles is a much better company than him. He explained to me what happened to Vera.

She’s also just like Tal and Toby. But when one of the Ixus helping Isles at the time of the conceiving told ‘Sir’ about this, he wanted his DNA mixed with hers so they could produce the perfect Halfling. Isles didn’t like the idea of it so he mixed his DNA instead of ‘Sir’s’. Sneaky son of a bitch.

Vera’s now one of the head of an Ixus facility. Isles doesn’t know where she was placed because it’s not Vera now. Although, I still haven’t lost hope. Maybe a small part of her still lives. But Isles assures me that the human part of Vera died when she gave birth to Sonja.

Isles is very taken with Sonja. He sometimes spends time with her. I’ve never seen Sonja more comfortable than she is with Isles. Well, no wonder. He is her father.

Tallus was more than happy to explain to me that the body that Isles has been using, is that he’s been using it for more than thirty years now. I got confused on that part but Tal explained that they were using this chemical that preserves the physical body to remain the way it is.

It’s only used to the higher officials. He and Tobyn weren’t high officials. They weren’t officials to begin with. Their orders were to work in the machines, maintain it. They had some of the lowest jobs. But that’s mostly because the human part of them still lives.

The Ixus thought they were too different to function better because of the body they were given so they were assigned to work those positions nobody wanted. I kinda pitied Tal. But no wonder he can revive almost anything.

He got his car fixed in less than an hour when it broke down during our roadtrip.

I asked Isles one time about where they came from. He’s one of the elders who remember what happened back then.

He says that their planet was really beautiful. Almost like earth. But we humans ruined it. Now they’re trying their best to return Earth to what it looked like before. He said they had many moons and two suns. Two suns! I thought it was cool. Or more likely, hot.

Isles laughed when I told him that. Then he told me about the elliptical orbit and the unmoving permanence of roots and the endless conversations of a million soundless voices that all could hear.

His face radiates happiness when he talks about this. Then he told me the story of how his planet had died. Something in his face hardens and his jaw clenches. So do his fists.

“It was partly my fault. I had been too ambitious and selfish. I helped ‘Sir.’” He sounds guilty and I know we need to change the subject.

“What did you guys look like?” I ask. I know that they’re bodiless spineless creatures. But that’s only the vague description everybody older than me told me.

He tilted his head to the side. He looks like he’s trying to come up of a better answer to give me.

“I…” he starts but his voice fades. He blinks. “I don’t know. Or more like, I don’t remember. It’s been a long time since we were there. That’s the only thing I can’t remember.”